Can band



W. B. CRANE March 6, 1962 CAN BAND Filed Jan. 2o, i959 INVENTOR u ra/v5. (W4/vf PY www AUJRNEY United States Patent Oice 3,023,892 PatentedMar. 6, 1962 3,023,892 CAN BAND Walton B. Crane, 1734 Grevelia St.,South Pasadena, Calif. Filed Jan. 20, 1959, Ser. No. 787,855 2 Claims.(Cl. 206-65) This invention relates to an improved can band or cartonfor packaging a plurality of cans as a unit.

Packages of cans such as cans containing beer of a suitable size for asales unit, usually six, are well known. One type which covers a portionof the tops and bottoms of the cans and leaves at least some of the cansexposed for display purposes, is known as a can band. These devices arenot shipping containers but rather are usually inserted in shippingcontainers.

Consistent with holding the cans securely together as a unit the priorart is susceptible of improvement to the extent that the cans might bebetter displayed and that the band might simultaneously be lessexpensive.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an irnproved canband for holding a plurality of cans in a convenient unitary pack.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a can bandfor holding a plurality of cans in a convenient unitary pack utilizing aminimum of paperboard.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improvedcan ban for holding a plurality of cans in a convenient unitary packWhile exposing for display purposes every can in the unit.

These and other objects are attained by the present invention which willbe best understood from the yfollowing description and the appendeddrawings showing a preferred embodiment of the invention but it will beunderstood that variations and substitutions may be made Within thescope of the claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the container blank;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a can band in accordance with thepresent invention containing six cans;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section of a portion of thedevice taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section taken on the lines 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a `fragmentary section of a detail of the can sealing means inFIG. 2. j

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the container is -madefrom a plurality of panels divided from each other by fold lines. Toppanel is divided by fold lines from end panel 11, bottom panel 12, endpanel 13 liner panel 14 lining approximately one-third of top panel 10in the erected box, divider panel 15, liner panel 16 lining aboutone-third of the bottom panel in the erected box, divider panel 17 andglue flap 18. Handle panel 19 is folded from panel 10. In forming thebox the various panels are folded into place and glued at panels 14, 16and 18. The band may be shipped fiat, and when ready for use is erectedas shown at FIG. 2 where it is passed between parallel rows of canswhich are locked into place in the container as shown.

The band is adapted to hold cans 20 which are chined cans. The cans areplaced in the can band as shown in FIG. 2 and then an adhesive tape 21is placed centrally along the top panel 10 covering openings 22 thereon.Subsequently a rubber roller is run along the top panel and the somewhatflexible adhesive tape takes the shape shown in detail in FIG. 5,actually adhering to the cans, in order to keep them in place. Similarlyadhesive tape is placed centrally over the bottom panel 12 and placedthrough openings 22 in the same manner. By this method the cans areeasily locked into place so that they will not be removed in shipping orhandling. When it is desired to release the cans the tape may simply bestripped oif the end of the can band and no tearing of the band isrequired.

A variety of adhesive tapes may -be used but the tape should be ilexiblein nature, and one type of tape which is known as masking tape and whichis made of a creped paper with a pressure sensitive adhesive on one sideis particularly suited. Tapes made with elastic plastic as well as clothmay also be used. Pressure sensitive tapes are preferably but those withadhesive applied immediately before use may be utilized. Tapes withwater soluble adhesive are less suitable since cans may be stored inrefrigerators under humid conditions.

Fingerholds 23 may be provided but are not essential. Alternatively,iingerholds may be located in the end panels or in the top or bottompanel between adjacent cans. It will be obvious that the invention maybe applicable to a band adapted to hold any number of cans. The deviceillustrated in the drawings is a side opening device rather than theusual prior art end opening device such that when six cans are containedin the device all are displayed up to 1/2 of their surface area ratherthan displaying only four of the six cans. A further improvement is thatthe amount of board used for the improved can band is very substantiallyless than has been previously used in can bands for the same number ofcans. A further advantage follows from the tape locking device. Theprior art devices were usually of paperboard and have not always beensatisfactory, particularly due to the difficulty of properly tucking inlocking flaps. A further advantage follows from the easy opening featurewhich involves simply stripping adhesive from the top or bottom of theband.

The most important advantages arise from the ease of filling the band inthe canners plant by the simple expedient of having a continuous line ofcan bands pass between two parallel continuous lines of filled canswhich may simply be pushed sidewise off a conveyor into position in thecan band followed by application of the tape. This lling operationsimplies and reduces the cost of machinery for lling the cans and isvirtually foolproof.

I claim:

1. A can package .comprising a double parallel row of cans, a closedband of paper board encircling said rows of cans centrally of said rows,said band covering about one-halt' of the top and bottom of each can andexposing about one-half of the side of every can, said band havingopenings in the area of the band adjacent to top of the cans andcentrally of the band and adhesive tape adhered to said band andextending into said openings and adhered to the cans.

2. A can package comprising a double parallel row of three cans each, aclosed band of paper board encircling said rows of cans centrally ofsaid rows, said band covering about one-half of the top and bottom ofeach can and exposing about one-half of the side of every can, said bandhaving openings in the area of the band adjacent to top of the cans andcentrally of the band and adhesive tape adhered to said band andextending into said openings and adhered to the cans.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,679,281 Paulucci May 25, 1954 2,694,488 Crane Nov. 16, 1954 2,722,365Phillips Nov. 1, 1955 2,810,476 Guyer Oct. 22, 1957 2,853,186 HolmbergSept. 23, 1958 2,903,128 Brunsing Sept. 8, 1959 2,952,355 Brunsing Sept.13, 1960

